Poll: Whitmer Crashing in Michigan, Majority of Independents Turn Against Her

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s (D) job approval is crashing in her state, as she has lost the support of the majority of independent voters.

Less than half (48 percent) of registered voters in Michigan approve of the governor, according to the poll from Glengariff Group. The poll also found that 46 percent of registered voters disapprove of her.

The poll from the Glengariff Group was commissioned by the Detroit Regional Chamber, which endorsed the governor over Bill Schuette, a Republican who ran for governor in 2018.

A significant part of the governor’s decline in numbers is from independent voters. The poll found the majority (51 percent) disapproves of the governor. Only 39 percent approved of Whitmer.

There is a significant shift from Whitmer’s poll numbers a year ago. In September of last year, 59 percent of the registered voters approved of the governor’s performance, and only 38 percent disapproved. This past May, her disapproval numbers grew in another poll, as only 50 percent approved of the governor and 44 percent disapproved.

A pollster with the Lansing-based Glengariff Group, Richard Czuba, told the Detroit News, “Michigan elections are decided by independent voters and how she does with these independent voters moving forward will really dictate” her future moving into the midterm elections.

Additionally, the poll found that 86 percent of the registered voters were worried about inflation, and 58 percent said the economy is on the wrong track.

The Glengariff Group poll was commissioned by the Detroit Regional Chamber and conducted between August 31 and September 3. The poll surveyed 600 registered voters. There is a four percent margin of error in the poll.

Responding to Whitmer’s lousy poll numbers, the Executive Director for Michigan Rising Action, Eric Ventimiglia, said, “Hardworking Michiganders have had enough of Governor Whitmer’s failed policy agenda and her never ending string of controversies.”

“While Whitmer has focused her time and energy on ingratiating herself with the Biden administration and playing to a national liberal audience, she’s left behind seniors, small business owners, and taxpayers across the state,” Ventimiglia added.

Follow Jacob Bliss on Twitter @jacobmbliss.